Direct Rope Haulage Systems

Transport of Ore

• Haulage roadways are used to transport materials like coal, ore, bricks, cements, and laggings.
• Haulage types include rope, locomotives, conveyor, aerial ropeway, and cage/skip systems.

Types of Haulage

• Rope haulage uses tubs moving on tracks, connected to a wire rope and drums with a driving motor.
• Types of rope haulage include direct, endless, main and tail, and gravity rope haulage.

Direct Rope Haulage

• An incline haulage system with one rope and one drum is used to haul loaded cars up, and return empties to the bottom by gravity.
• It is suitable for inclines steeper than 1 in 10, with tub speeds of 8-10 km/hr.
• Safety devices include stop blocks, runaway switches, drop Warwicks, backstays, and buffers.
• Caliper brakes are used to control the system, which uses a 0.6 m track gauge.
• This includes single and double drum direct rope haulage.

Single Drum Direct Rope Haulage

• This system uses one track for tubs, a wire rope to hold tubs to a drum, and a drum connected to motors and gears at the incline's top.
• The drum rotates via gears and motors for upward journeys, with braking to control speed.
• Tubs are lowered by gravity on downward journeys, with power only needed to control speed.
• Simple to operate, requires only one brake, easily extendable and suitable for branched and narrow roads.
• It demands high power for loaded tubs, requires an efficient breaking system, and causes high track maintenance at haulage speed.
• Not suitable for less incline roadways, and derailment is associated with heavy damages.

Double Drum Direct Rope haulage

• This system uses separate tracks for empty and loaded tubs.
• It has two wire ropes for holding loaded and empty tubs, each with its own drum.
• The drums are connected to a motor and gears at the incline's top.
• The track layout uses one track to lower empty tubs and another to haul loaded tubs.
• This increases the output and demands less power.
• Branched roads work if the gradient is suitable.
• Wider roads are required and efficient braking is needed for downward journeys.
• High speed haulage needs more track maintenance and it's not suitable for less incline roadways.
• Derailment causes heavy damages and high speed causes more dust, wear, and tear.

Endless Rope Haulage

• Flat and uniform wide roadways are applicable.
• This system uses two parallel tracks.
• An endless rope passes from a driving drum/pulley to the inbye end and back via a tension bogey.
• Tubs are attached to the rope at regular intervals with clips.
• The gradient is applicable up to 1 in 6 and speed is in the ranger 3 -7 km/hr.
• Safety devices include back stay, stop block, runaway switch, Man hole, tub rerailer, Jazz rail, and monkey catch.
• A squirrel-cage motor is generally used and the brakes are Caliper brake.
• Screw, smallman or cam clips are used, rope moves directionally and required double tracks.
• Its arrangements may be over or under the rope.
• Types include under rope (rope passes below the tubs- more wear/tear but more direct pull) and over rope endless haulage (rope elevated - unaffected by wet floor and reduced wear).
• This means less wear & tear to tub wheel & track, less maintenance is required, accidents cause less damage, less motor power is required, and provides a continuous flow of mineral or coal.
• It requires wider roads, this is not suitable for steeper gradients, and needs a large rope due to load on rope and high clip count.
• This haulage type can not serve a branch road.

Main and Tail Rope Haulage

• This system has two separate drums: one hauls the empty train, the other revolves freely.
• The drums are controlled by a brake to keep ropes taut.
• One track is required for set up.
• The main rope equals the plane's length, and the tail rope is twice this length.
• Suitable for undulating roadways where double tracks are impractical.
• It can be used in flat and gentle gradients, and conveniently works in branches.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Main and Tail Rope Haulage

• This haulage is suitable for Undulating roadways, curves, is faster, and a sole track is applicable in case of bad roof.
• There are chances of accidents, more power is required, wear and tear increases due to high speed, and derailment incurs more costs.

Gravity Rope Haulage

• It needs no motor or external power.
• An inclined roadway uses a cast iron jig pulley (1.3 m – 2 m diameter).
• The jig pulley has a brake path and a strap brake.
• The jig pulley is located at the top, lowering loads while hoisting empties.
• Only one track is needed for this method.
• At the road's midpoint, a double track, or bypass, is essential where loads and empties meet.